Improvement in treadles for operating machinery



UNITED STATES PATEN JOHN J. KIMBALL, OF NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN TREADLES FOR OPERATING MACHINERY.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J KIMBALL, of Naperville, in the county of DuPage and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Treadle forOperating Machinery; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable thoseskilled in the art to 'make and use the saine, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming partof this specification, in which-Figure l is a perspective view of my invention; Fig. 2, an enlargedvertical section of the saine, taken in the line w x, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in constructing a treadle in such a manner thatthe Weight of the operator will be made subservient in actuating it,muscular force not being expended nor required in any great degree.

A represents a shaft, which is provided with two cranks, B B, havingreverse positions, and O O are pitnnen, which are connected to them.

D represents the treadle, which is formed of a square piece of plankofsuitable dimensions, hung centrally on a shaft, a, the journals ofwhich are fitted in bearings on or in a proper base, E, or on theiiooring which supports the vice to be driven.

The pitmen are connected to the treadle D one at each side and near oneend of it-and in the treadle at eachside of it there are iittedfoot-pieces E E, which, like the treadle, are hung centrally on shafts bb, the journals of the shafts, b, having their bearings in the treadle,and allowed to turn freely therein. The lower parts of the foot-pieces EE below the shafts b b are heavier than the upper parts, so that thefoot-pieces will have a tendency to keep themselves in ahorizontalposition,

irrespective of the position or niovelnent of the treadle D.

The pitnien O O are of equal length, and when the treadle D is in ahorizontal position the two cranks B B will also be in a horizontalposition, projecting from opposite sides ot' the shaft A.

From the above description, it will be seen that thel operator bystanding upon the footpieces E E, and inclining his body first to theright and then to the left, will actuate the treadle D, the foot-piecesE E always conforming to the position of the feet ofthe operator-that isto say, their upper surfaces always being in a horizontal position, aswill be understood by referring to Fig. 2, in which an inclined positionof the treadle is shown in red with the upper surfaces of thefoot-pieces in a horizontal position. Thus it will be seen that inoperating the treadle but little or no inuscular force requires to beexerted upon it, the weight of the body being sufficient for thepurpose, and it will further be -seen that the cranks cannot catch upontheir centers, and the treadles when left in a horizontal position canalways be started at once without first turning the crank-shaft by hand,as is frequently required with the single crank and treadle.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The treadle D,hung centrally on a shaft, a, provided with two pitinen, C C, which areconnected to reverse cranks B B on the shaft A, in combination with thefoot-pieces E E, hung on shafts b b, which are fitted in the treadle,and all arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposespecified.

JOHN J. KIMBALL.

Witnesses:

ED'MUND E. PAGE, AJS. HARROUN.

